Twisted selvage cutter



ept. 1952 J. HAEFLIGER TWISTED SELVAGE CUTTER 2 SHEETS--SHEET 1 FiledOct. 28, 1950 INVENTOR. Jo/m/v/v HHEFL/GEB BY flag v n MZ Arron/v5 p 2,1952 J. HAEFLIGER 2,609,009

TWISTED SELVAGE CUTTER Filed 001;. 28, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 INVENTOR.JOHANN HAEFL IGEE Arms/v5]:

Patented Sept. 2, 1952 TWISTED SELVAGE CUTTER Johann Haefliger,Cleveland, 011'io,'assignor to The Warner & Swasey Company, Cleveland,Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application October 28, 1950, Serial No.192,756

' 16 Claims. (01. 1s9 291) This inventionrelates to the weaving oftextiles and, more particularly, to improved methods and apparatus fortrimming and cutting.

An object of the invention is the cutting of weft threads under theguidance of binding threads. 7

An object of the invention is to slit cloth longitudinally as it isbeing woven.

A further object of the invention is to enable a cloth cutter to followirregularities in the edge or in the direction of the warp threads ofthe cloth.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of apparatuswhich will carry out the cutting operation accurately and evenly andwithout undue distortion and strain of the cloth at the cutting point.

In the practice of the invention, a novel cutter is mounted upon a shaftextending crosswise of the loom. The shaft is oscillated by a suitablecam or other device and the cutter is actuated by the oscillation of theshaft, while being free to slide along the shaft under the influence ofa guide which forms a part of the cutter. The guide comprises oppositelydisposed prongs which reciprocate in the plane of the cutter blade andalternately pass through the interstices between the weft threads of thecloth. Binding threads, which are woven into the cloth at either side ofthe line along which the cloth is to be cut thus impose lateralconstraints upon the guide prongs which in turn constantly position thecutter along the shaft. Alternative embodiments of the inventionincorporate distinct forms of cutters, one type involving the use ofshears and the other a single reciprocating blade.

These and other objects, aspects and features of the invention will bemore readily apparent from a consideration of the following detailedspecification and appended claims, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram representing a plan view of a portion of aloom illustrating the method of employment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation View of one embodiment of the cutter of theinvention and showing a longitudinal section of the cloth being trimmed;

Fig. 2A is a view showing the guide of Fig. 2 in an alternate operativeposition;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is. an elevation view of an alternative embodiment of theinvention;

Fig. 4A is a view showing the guide of Fig. 4 in an alternate operativeposition; and

Fig. 5 is a rear view of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 4.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown a conventional breast beam IIover which there is drawn a cloth consisting of weft threads i2, spacingbetween which is exaggerated for clarity in the drawing, and warpthreads l3, only a few of which are shown, also with exaggerated spacingfor simplicity in the drawing. There is a conventional reed [4,schematically represented, including dents [5, only some of which areindicated, and a conventional heddle harness, including a plurality ofheddle frames l6 two of which are schematically indicated. It will beunderstood that warp threads l3 are drawn from a warp beam (not shown).

In weaving looms of the gripper shuttle type having stationary bobbins,it is customary to out off the weft thread after each beat-up stroke ofthe lay and to provide a false selvage by turning in the cut-off ends ofthe length of weft thread, or a twisted selvage, consisting of one ormore pairs of twisted warp or binding threads, may be formed at theedges of the cloth to hold the ends of the weft threads.

Pairs of binding threads may be worked into the cloth by the use ofconventional selvage twisting disks i1 and I8. The disk I! is arrangedto twist a pair of binding threads i9 and 20 and is located to beadjacent the sidemost of the ordinary warp threads l3. The disk I8 isarranged to twist a second pair of binding threads 2| and 22 spaced fromthe pair of binding threads 19 and 20. As shown, the binding threadspass through openings in the disks II and Hi.

The twisting disks I1 and [8 may be arranged to rotate continuously fortwisting the binding threads, or to rotate a predetermined number ofrevolutions in one direction and a predetermined number of revolutionsin the opposite direction, in accordance with conventional practice. Onemeans of mounting such twisting disks is illustrated in United StatesPatent No. 2,399,880 issued May 7, 1946 to A. Moessinger.

Where a twisted selvage is provided, or binding threads are used, theprotruding ends of the weft threads are made unduly long for a finishedcloth in order that the weaving and selvage forming operations may becarried out reliably. In order to cut off the excess length of the weftthread after the cloth has been woven, the cloth may be woven with apair of spaced parallel sets of binding threads or twisted selvages, oneof which is at the edge of the closely woven cloth and the other ofwhichis to be trimmed away. In types of cloth where raveling is not aconsideration, the

pair of binding threads nearer the closely woven cloth may be omitted.The trimming knife is then run between the two sets of binding threadsclose to the inner one, or between the outer binding threads and therest of the cloth, so producing a cloth with a neat, close-cut edge.Likewise when two or more narrow fabrics are to be woven simultaneouslyon a wide loom, pairs of spaced binding threads without intermediateordinary,

warp threads may be provided between what are eventually intended to beseparate widths of cloth and a slitting knife may be run between thepairs of binding threads, in order to separate the woven material intoindependent widths of cloth.

The ordinary weaving processes may produce cloth with some lateraldeviation of the warp threads or irregularities therein instead ofperfectly straight warp threads. Likewise, the binding threads ortwisted selvage threads do not always run evenly, and, especially at theedges of the cloth, there may be irregularities rendering it difficultfor an operator to run a slitting knife close to the binding threads orbetween pairs of binding threads without inadvertently cutting into thebinding threads or otherwise injuring some of the fibers and damagingthe cloth. Furthermore, the protruding weft thread ends cannot be madeof equal length by the conventional method of employing a slittingknife, nor by means of scissors ii hand cutting is resorted to.

The present invention serves to overcome the diiiiculties in causing theblade of the selvag'etrimming or cloth-slitting cutter to travel betweenthe pairs of binding threads [9 and 26 and 2! and 22. As shown in Figs.Zand 3, the apparatus of the invention includes a cutter 23 mounted upona shaft 24 which is positioned adjacent the breast beam H and extendsthe width of the loom. 1

The shaft 24 is given a generally oscillatory motion by a lever 25,mounted upon the shaft 24, and a cam 59 mounted upon a rotatingshaft'26. The cam may be of the general form indicated although anysuitable cam arrangement may be utilized within the spirit of theinvention in order to obtain a proper actuation of the lever and thecutter. A spring 21 serves to provide a restoring force for the returnof the lever 25 after actuation by the cam.

The cutter 23 includes a collar 28 whichv is formed to slide freelyalong the shaft 24. As indicated, the shaft 24 and the interior openingof the collar 28 are of polygonal cross section in order that the cuttermay be free to slide along the shaft while receiving the rotationalimpulses imparted by the lever 25. Other suitable means such as a tongueand groove arrangement may be utilized to accomplish the same purpose;

Mounted upon the collar 28 is a vertical body plate 29 which is formedin a generally arcuate fashion with two extended portions 30 and 31which cooperate with the outer surface of. the breast beam H. The collar28 rotates freely in the associated opening in the plate 29, the breastbeam H serving to constrain the plate against rotation with the collar,whilethe collar holds the plate in a vertical position.

Two cutter blades 32 and 33, which form a shears, are supported fromthebody plate 29 by a bearing stud 34. The cutterblades are actuated by aguide plate 35 which is secured firmly to the collar 28 and rotatestherewith. Skew grooves 36 and 31 formed in the plate 35 cooperate withpins 38 and 39, respectivelypsothat the oscillation of the support platecauses a reciprocation of the cutter blades and a shearing action.

The guide plate 35 serves also as a support for two oppositely disposedguide prongs 40 and 4|, the plate forming arms which are bent at theends, so that the prongs lie in the plane of the shears. The guideprongs are of a suitable Width, as will be understood from Figs. 1 and3, while the ends of the prongs are formed with slightly roundedportions and separated ends so that the oscillation of the guide platecauses the alternate entry of the guide prongs into the intersticesbetween the weft threads. The ends of the prongs are in slightlyoverlapped vertical relationship so that the cloth is continuallytraversed by one of the prongs, whatever the position of the cutter andguide.

In operation, the rocking of the guide plate 35 due to the oscillationof the shaft causes the guide prongs 4d and ii to alternately passthrough the fabric. The guide prongs pass readily between the weft'threads while, due to the shape of the end of the prongs and theirvertically overlapped relationship, the binding threads l9 and 2G, and2| and 22, constantly impart an adjusting force to the guide. The cutteris thus caused to slide along the shaft 24 in conformity with thelateral variations of the cloth and the shears constantly sever the weftthreads along the desired. line.

There is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, an embodiment of the inventionincorporating an alternative form of cutter. In the apparatus thereshown, a breast beam 42 and a cutter shaft 43 correspond to the breastbeam II and cutter shaft 24, respectively, of Figs. 2 and 3 and functionin an identical fashion. The cutter 44 comprises a body member 45 whichmay be of split construction to support and hold a single blade 48. Thebody member is securely attached to a collar 41 which slides along theshaft 43 but rotates therewith just as the collar 23 previously referredto. Two guide prongs c3 and 48 are formed integrally with the bodymember and are shaped somewhat differently in the longitudinal plane,being somewhat more hooked, than the guide prongs of the embodimentpreviously described. It will be apparent that the radial and angulartraverse of the hooks when in operation must determine their specificform. The manner of operation of the cutter is similar to that of theembodiment of Figs. 2 and 3 the only difference being that the weftthreads are severed by the reciprocation of the blade 46 taken with thelongitudinal motion of the cloth, rather than by a shearing action.

It is to be understood that in Fig. 2, the cam shaft 26 is drivensynchronously with the shedder mechanism. Such an arrangement is notessential, however, and any desired practical number of threads may becut at each stroke of the cam. Further, while the specific embodiment ofFig. 2 utilizes the breast beam as a means of rotational constraint forthe cutter body plate, such is not essential and other arrangements maybe used.

The foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character inorder that the specific embodiment of the invention may be completelyset forth. It is to be understood that the specific terminology is notintended to be restrictive or confining and that various rearrangementsof parts and modifications of detail may be resorted to without.departing fromthe scope or spirit of the invention as: herein' claimed,

What is claimed is:

1. In a loom of the type which utilizes spaced. binding threads in thecloth being woven, a blade, means for actuating said blade, and meansfor guiding said blade comprising oppositely disposed prongs connectedto said actuating means and mounted so as to alternately traverse thecloth and thereby be constrained by the binding threads.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said prongs being disposedin the plane of action of said blade.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 1, the said prongs beingsupported by a plate and disposed in slightly overlapped relation.

4. In a loom of the type which utilizes spaced binding threads in thecloth being woven, a cutter comprising a blade, a support for saidblade, means for reciprocating said blade, and a lateral guide for saidblade comprising means connected to said reciprocating means and to saidsupport for intermittently traversing the cloth to engage the bindingthreads.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 4, said guide comprisingprongs disposed in the plane of the blade.

6. The invention in accordance with claim 4, said guide comprisingoppositely disposed prongs, one prong being directed arcuately upwardand the other arcuately downward and the ends thereof being slightlyoverlapped.

7. A cloth cutter for looms of the type which utilize spaced bindingthreads in the cloth being woven comprising a shears, means supportingsaid shears and constraining the shears to lie in a vertical plane whilefreely translatable in a transverse direction, means for actuating saidshears, and guide means comprising oppositely disposed prongs connectedto said actuating means and arranged to alternately pass through thecloth as the shears are actuated to guide the shears along a pathbetween the binding threads.

8. A cloth cutter for looms of the type which utilize spaced bindingthreads in the cloth being woven comprising a shaft, means for actuatingsaid shaft, a collar on said shaft free to slide along the shaft butconstrained to rotate therewith, a shears, means including said collarfor supporting said shear, means connected to said collar for actuatingsaid shears, and a lateral guide for said collar and said shearscomprising means connected to said actuating means for intermittentlytraversing the cloth to engage the binding threads.

9. The invention in accordance with claim 8, said guide comprisingprongs disposed in the plane of the said shears.

10. The invention in accordance with claim 8, said guide comprisingoppositely disposed prongs, one prong being directed arcuately upwardand the other arcuately downward and the ends thereof being slightlyoverlapped.

11. A cloth cutter for a loom comprising a shaft, means for rotationallyoscillating said shaft, a collar on said shaft constrained to rotatetherewith but free to slide therealong, a body mounted upon said collarthe body being constrained to lie in a fixed position in a verticalplane. the collar being free to rotate with respect to said body, shearsfixed to a pivot on said body, pins on the actuating arms of saidshears, a plate mounted on said collar for rotatation therewith, saidplate incorporating skew rooves into which the pins are fitted for theactuation of said shears, and guide prongs mounted on said plate saidprongs being in oppositely disposed slightly overlapped relationship andlying in the plane of said shears.

12. A cloth cutter for looms of the type which utilize spaced bindingthreads comprising a blade, means for supporting said blade forrotational actuation and free transverse motion. means for reciprocatingsaid blade, and a guide for said blade comprising prongs mounted on thesupport means for alternately passing through the cloth to be cut inunison with the motion of the blade whereby the binding threads act uponthe guide to constrain the motion of the blade to a path between thebinding threads.

13. A cloth cutter for looms of the type which utilize spaced bindingthreads comprising a shaft. a support member mounted on said shaft andfreely slidable therealong, a blade mounted on said support member, anda lateral guide for said support comprising means mounted on saidsupport means for intermittently traversing the cloth to engage thebinding threads.

14. A cloth cutter for looms of the type which utilize spaced bindingthreads comprising a shaft, a support member mounted on said shaft andfreely slidable therealong, a blade mounted on said support member, anda lateral guide for said support comprising prongs disposed in the planeof said blade and forward thereof, one prong being directed arcuatelyupward and the other arcuately downward whereby the passage of theprongs between the weft threads to contact the binding threads as theblade is actuated serves to position the blade along the shaft.

15. A cloth cutter for a loom comprising a shaft means for rotationallyoscillating said shaft, a collar on said shaft constrained to rotatetherewith but free to slide therealong, a body part mounted on saidcollar, a blade supported by said body and guide prongs mounted on saidbody and disposed in the plane of said blade. the ends of the prongslying in an overlapped relationship along a line parallel to the edge ofsaid blade and spaced in a direction normal thereto, whereby the saidprongs serve to position the said collar and said blade along saidshaft.

16. A cloth cutter for looms of the type which utilize spaced bindingthreads comprising a shaft, a support member mounted on said shaft andfreely slidable therealong. a blade mounted on said support member, anda lateral guide for said support comprising means mounted on saidsupport means forwardly of said blade for intermittently traversing thecloth to engage the binding threads.

J OHANN HAEFLIGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

